Looks like I get to post a reply to....myself. Who'd of thunk ONTARIO is the home of Zippermouth Creek/lake.

Anyway....With the huge amount of rains we have been experiencing in Lake Huron Watersheds, the majority of rivers are blown wide open with some experiencing VALLEYFULL levels. Those that are mercifully lower...tend to run chocolate brown. That said, we have had a few days without rain and water levels are both dropping while clearing.

Myself, I made it to the St. Clair River last friday...and had a great start to my season....with a bit of excitement to boot.

My absolute first cast of the morning....hooked into a freight train that immediately made for Michigan at warp speed!!!! While that in itself is exciting enough....As I sat into the run....I felt something spring in my hand. I look to my reel and notice....ITS NOT THERE!!! Well, the housing was there but the cassette...was sinking to my feet....WHILE THE FISH WAS STILL RUNNING!

I quickly plunge my arm into the water to retrieve the cassette...soaking me to the chest. As I fight with one hand...and try to allow line while keeping tension with the other....AND try to re-align the cassette to the spindle....and I notice...as my drag discs 'boing' off my cassette and are now sinking into the river.

Again, I transfer the cassette to the rod hand....and plunge my arm again trying to catch the discs as they flutter down....to no avail. OH, and I still have an angry freight train attached to my line making its way to Michigan!!!

Focus....

Again, I try to align the cassette....and manage to get it on as the rod is bouncing from the throb of the head shakes. Click...the cassette goes into place. UGH< I realize the line is looped around the spool stopping me from being able to let the fish run....and the line tightens and with no place to go....SNAP....my first fish of MY season....and I snapped off as the punctuation mark in my comedy of errors.

I am shaking...but in a good way...like buck fever. After a couple handful of decades under my belt...and literally 1000's of fish hooked fought and landed....I still get the rush.

I head to shore...assess the damage. My reel is TRULY a line holder only....very much like a Drift reel now, it spins so smoothly...BUT, I am still able to fish.

I tie up fresh...and hit the water again...Part Deux!

And the very first cast (second of the day)...i am into another steel. Not as much drama this time....and in about 5 or so minutes, a long male (~30 inches) comes to have its picture taken.

The next cast (third of the day)....I am fighting another...but that fight is short as she spits the hook.

The morning goes like this...fish on...fish off...fish on...land it...etc. I also hooked ANOTHER freight train that also wanted to go to Michigan after hooking...it to left with a piercing to show its friends in Michigan.